Texas A&M Football: 10 Things You Need to Know About Texas Tech

Texas A&M may feel like it's 2010 all over again after their second straight loss to a team they know (not to mention everyone else) they should have beaten. Letting huge first-half leads slip through their fingers two weeks in a row, the Aggies need to get back to the basics.

Deja vu needs to be a fleeting feeling as A&M heads to Lubbock this Saturday to face down the Red Raiders.

Taking down Texas Tech at home is no easy task, but for Tannehill and company, finishing the game would be a moral victory at this point.

Just a conference win might be all they need to awaken the monster of potential built up in College Station. Last year, everything clicked at the Tech game. This led to a six-game conference win streak which included victories at home over big programs such as Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Could this year's trip to the panhandle be exactly what the Aggies need to jump start a seemingly stagnant second-half offense? That might be the case. 

Looking north to Lubbock, here's 10 things A&M needs to know about Texas Tech.

Tech Likes to Throw the Ball

Texas Tech is a huge fan of the passing game. Doege and company average over 345 yards per game in the air, which has successfully led them to a 4-0 record so far this season.

Considering how Texas A&M's secondary has looked in the past two games, this is a gigantic problem. The Aggie defensive backs have allowed opposing quarterbacks to impose their will down the field this season, particularly in the past two games.

Stopping Doege and the Tech offense will be extremely tough if they continue to play the way they have recently. It might be time to try out some young blood at safety if the Aggies want their fortunes to change.   

Powerful Red-Zone Offense

Tech has a 96 percentage of scoring in the red zone..

That is extremely impressive, even if it is against Kansas and Nevada. Scoring nine times out of 10 inside the 20 is tough for most teams, but 96 percent is blowing that out of the water.

If the Red Raiders do get down inside A&M's red zone, stopping them will be a small miracle considering that percentage through four games. Start praying now for that Aggie defensive front to become wall inside the 20-yard line.

Shootout Type Strategy

The Red Raiders have chalked up some wins this season because they have won the scoring contest. There is no reliance on defense in Lubbock like other Big 12 schools, playing the spread offense to perfection. 

Similar to Pac-12 teams (hence the term "West Coast Offense"), defense comes as an option. To them, outscoring their opponent's offense is their only goal necessary for a win.

This may or may not be a problem for A&M. Potential-wise, the Aggies can own Tech offensively. The problem is Tannehill and the offense haven't lived up to that potential just yet. We will see if they'll emerge this Saturday.

Tuberville Is a Former SEC Coach

Tommy Tuberville coached for 13 years in the SEC. Considering the Southeastern Conference is Texas A&M's new home, this game can prove a lot to Aggie fans, especially after the Arkansas game.

When the Red Raiders went out and hired Tuberville, they acquired an experienced head coach from the best football conference in America. If the Big 12 stays glued together by Texas and Oklahoma, expect Tech to improve dramatically over the years, threatening to take the title on a consistent basis. 

Aggie fans now know we can more than play with good SEC teams after watching their team barely lose to an inferior Arkansas unit. The difference between winning and losing is a large gap however, but going into Lubbock and destroying Tuberville will definitely prove something A&M fans are desperate to see. 

Tech Retains a High Turnover Margin

Tuberville and company are excellent at creating turnovers as well as holding onto the ball. They have the seventh highest turnover margin in the nation at +1.7, making Tannehill and the offense vulnerable.

Over the past two games against ranked opponents, Tannehill has thrown four interceptions while the offense has given up two fumbles. This doesn't bode well against a Tech team that preys on mistakes.

Additionally, the Red Raider offense doesn't make the same kinds of mistakes. They have mostly held onto the ball this season so far, only turning it over three times in four games. 

Texas Tech Was Tannehill's Break Out Game

Last season, watching Ryan Tannehill surgically take apart the Texas Tech defense was like feeling the warmth of sunlight after a long winter. After losing three straight to Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Mizzou, Aggies had resigned the 2010 season as another lost to hope and prayer.

In his first career start at quarterback, he broke the school's single-game passing record and wrecked Tech up and down Kyle Field in front of thousands of Aggies. 

Tannehill is still our man going into Lubbock on Saturday, and A&M fans are praying for a repeat. Tech was the game that set us straight last season. The time seems right to do the same.  

The Red Raiders Are Riding High

After a come-from-behind victory and outscoring the Jayhawks last week, Tech has a lot of swagger. Their 4-0 record certainly sounds more impressive than it is, but the clash this weekend is exactly what they need to prove themselves. 

Their confidence is at a high for the moment, and beating anyone off that pedestal isn't easy, especially when you're at the bottom. Texas A&M's last two defeats have been detrimental to morale, providing that they were both more than winnable. 

Texas Tech's Return to Glory?

Ever since the Texas game in Lubbock a few years back, the Red Raiders haven't made any kind of impact on the college football landscape. They sit atop the conference at 4-0 (1-0) and are looking to get back to their glory days.

Just a few years ago, the Raiders were a top-tier team. Now they want to return to the good old days after losing their coach to scandal and seeing some of their best players ever graduate. 

Beating their hated conference foe Texas A&M would not only be a quality win, but also would be against a ranked team. They have a lot riding on this game and are going to do anything and everything to get it.  

Lubbock Is Not Very Friendly

Last time a ranked Aggie team was defeated in Lubbock, the Tech fans tore down their own goal posts and threw the nearest one into the A&M section of the stadium. The Red Raiders love beating Texas A&M, and when they do, it's a huge deal to them.

Expect a sold-out game this Saturday. Tech fans from all over will come to support their team against the Aggies, and winning this game will be payback for us leaving the Big 12. Rowdiness won't even begin to describe Jones AT&T Stadium on game day.  

Parting Ways

The Aggies and Raiders have been in the same conference for over 55 years, sharing both the Southwest Conference and the Big 12. A&M leads the series 36-32-1 at present going into their 70th meeting. 

This game Saturday can possibly be one of the last meetings between these two old conference foes. The winner will claim bragging rights in the state for quite awhile, and neither team wants to give that up easily.